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Bumpy: Make-Up Of Rapids And Vikings Sides “good For English Cricket”Thursday, June 9th, 2016

Steve Rhodes says the make-up of the Yorkshire Vikings and Worcestershire Rapids sides in Tuesday's Royal London One-Day Cup match at Headingley "can only be good for English cricket."

All 22 players in action in the North Group clash, which the Rapids won by seven wickets, were eligible to play for England via holding British passports.

Eight members of the Rapids side were also products of the New Road Academy with the exceptions being Jack Shantry, former Derbyshire player Ross Whiteley and ex Dutch international Alexei Kervezee who came to this country at the age of 15 and now holds a British passport.

Rhodes said: "We had 22 players who had British passports playing in that game at Headingley which I think is really exciting.

"For Worcestershire to have eight Academy players and all Englishmen, no overseas players in that game, all British passport holders, that has got to good for the game.

"It is good for English cricket to see English players getting opportunities to shine and playing major roles.

"Look at Joe Leach. He opened the batting, opened the bowling, and surely that has got to be good for English cricket to have English players having major positions in teams.

"Maybe the teams that play Englishmen make it a bit easier for the England selectors to select because there are going to be guys who at least they can select because they are English."